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1、EarlyChildhoodEducationforAll:AWiseInvestmentI.INTRODUCTIONInatimeofscarcepublicresources,thecareandeducationofyoungchildrenwillcontinuetofalltothebottomoftheprioritylistuntilthereisashiftinpublicunderstandingabouttheeconomicsofraisingthenextgeneration.High-qualityearlyc
2、hildhoodeducationistoovitaltobebrushedasideasasocialservicesexpenditureforonlyafewfamiliesorastooexpensivetoconsiderintightbudgetarytimes.Earlyeducationisimportantforallchildren.Andstudyafterstudyshowsthatitisnottooexpensive.Quitethecontrary.Investmentsinqualitychildcare
3、andearlychildhoodeducationdomorethanpaysignificantreturnstochildren—ourfuturecitizens.Theyalsobenefittaxpayersandenhanceeconomicvitality.Economicresearch—byNobelPrize-winnersandFederalReserveeconomists,ineconomicstudiesindozensofstatesandcounties,andinlongitudinalstudies
4、spanning40years—demonstratethatthereturnonpublicinvestmentinhighqualitychildhoodeducationissubstantial.OnDecember9and10,2004,LegalMomentumandtheMITWorkplaceCenterattheSloanSchoolofManagementsponsoredaconference,“TheEconomicImpactsofChildCareandEarlyEducation:FinancingSol
5、utionsfortheFuture,”thatledtothisreport.Itbroughttogethersome80scholars,expertsandactivistsfromaroundthecountrytoexaminetheeconomicsofearlychildhoodeducationandtodeterminehowtoeffectivelypresentthisnewinvestmentunderstandingtopolicymakersandvoters.Thepartnersinthiseffort
6、wereLegalMomentum’sFamilyInitiativeandtheMITWorkplaceCenter;co-sponsorswereTheNationalEconomicDevelopmentandLawCenter,TheEarlyCareandEducationCollaborativeandTheCenterforPolicyAlternatives.Untilnow,aconsiderable“blindspot”hasblockedthepublicfromseeingthefieldofearlychild
7、hoodeducationineconomictermsorthinkingaboutcreativewaystofinance,strengthenandenhanceitsgrowth.Whilevirtuallyeverystatehasmaintainedeconomicdevelopmentfundingathighlevelsinordertoaidjobgrowth,stateafterstatehasmadecutbacksinchildcare,preschoolandafterschoolprograms.Thisa
8、pproachisshort-sighted.Theresearchpresentedinthisreport—acompilationofimpressiveworkdonebyexpertsacross
